Chapter Six
It had been four weeks since Nala had left Pride rock, and since Kovu and Vitani had been born. Without food or nearly enough water, the Pride was suffering. Three lionesses had died from starvation, leaving the rest to wonder if they would suffer the same fate…and when they would.
Since she was caught the in the cave with Nuka that night, the two friend had to sneak around in order to see each other and too play. Both were grateful for their hiding place, but now almost six months the two noticed they would soon be too tall to crawl through and would have to find a new secret place.
But the barren wasteland was no place for young cubs to hide. Nuka often found time to see Sakina when his parents had left Pride rock. But everyday he got home he would hear his mothers lecture about the lionesses and how unfairly they treated her as Queen and a rising rebellion.
A six-month-old Sakina sat at the entrance of the cave she shared with the others, her body had grown a bit to where her head now when standing tall reached just the top of Sarabi's legs. Behind her were the lionesses she had come to call her aunts; they were all family to her. But the group had gone down in numbers with starvation claiming them.
Her ears were straining to hear what they were whispering about, but all she could catch were small bits of conversation as they were discussing the fact that the Pride was all dying because of food shortage, but she also caught them talking about the Prides newest heir to the throne. Sighing, she looked up toward the main cave; it had been three days since she saw Nuka. The last time was when they were out in the dusty plains of the savannah playing when Zira had caught them.
Turning her head, she was surprised to see a smiling Sarabi looking down at her softly, "You miss him?" she asked.
The cub nodded, "Yes it's only been a few days but without anyone else to play with…I'm pretty lonely and I worry for him," she explained as she looked back toward the main cave. Sarabi nodded; remaining silent she closed her eyes, "Have faith little one, soon there will be hope for this pride" she said as she was thinking of Nala and when she would hopefully return for help.
Sakina looked up at her Godmother, opening her mouth to speak when a roaring voice echoed through Pride rock.
"SARABI!"
All lionesses turned their heads to the source of the sound. "What does he want now?" Sarafina asked walking over, looking her old friend in the eyes, the old Queen could do nothing but sigh, "I do not know he has been on edge lately…if anything were to happen Sarafina you have to take all those you can and leave pride rock" Sarabi left no time for Sarafina to reply as she looked down at Sakina, rubbing her head against the cubs she left the cave her head held high.
"Sarabi…" Sakina took a step forward to follow her but Sarafina wrapped her paw around her. Lifting her head she stared up at the older lioness, which was giving her a soft look, "Stay here…" she whispered but her voice betrayed her soft calm features, as she too feared for her long time friend. Ears flattening against her head, the cub headed back inside when she caught the figure of a familiar lioness running toward them.
"NALA!" the cub cheered as she ran to her friend, rubbing her body around the lioness' legs.
Nala rubbed her head against the cubs as the others gathered around them, "Oh Nala you're back I was getting so worried" Sarafina rubbed her head against her daughters, licking her cheek.
"Did you find help?" Faizah asked stepping up side Sarafina.
Nala nodded, "Yes I did…you won't believe me but I…I found Simba" Collective gasps sounded from the surrounding lionesses as shock appeared on each one of their faces.
"Simba? But Nala he's dead" Sarafina whispered only to watch her daughter shake her head and go on to explain how she had come across Simba in a far away Jungle. Excited whispers began to spread through the group at the return of their lost Prince, Sakina sat there listening, her paws wrapped around Nala's leg in a hug.
"Where's Sarabi?" Nala asked when she noticed the Old Queen was nowhere in sight.
"She's…" Sarafina was cut off when an angry roar sounded through the air. All heads turned toward the peek, "Sarabi!" the lionesses cried running toward the peek. Sakina was among them but with her short legs she was falling behind the lionesses that is till one of them bent her heads down and scooped the cub up in her mouth and carried her on as best she could.
Sakina was dropped down once they reached the top, she looked up to see a yellow golden red mane lion cornering Scar just as he spoke. For a moment she wondered who this stranger was when she hear Nala speak.
"…they think I'm king"
"Well, we don't. Simba is the rightful King" Nala announced their arrival glaring at Scar. Sakina hurried over to Sarabi rubbing her muzzle against her cheek as Sarafina and another lioness helped Sarabi to her paws. The old Queen licked the top of the cubs head, "Hurry find some place to hide" she whispered shielding Sakina behind her paws as Nala and Sarafina stepped up aside the old lioness.
Sakina peered through the crack between Sarabi's legs, listening as Scar accused Simba for Mufasa's murdered. Sakina suddenly lost her cover as a shocked Sarabi moved toward her shocked son, suddenly from behind her a pair of paws reached out and pulled her behind a rock.
"Nuka?" she asked when she say a familiar patch of grey fur before a paw was placed over her mouth. The two peered out from behind the rock, and both watched as Scar cornered Simba toward the peek. Sakina gasped as Simba fell only to grab the edge, her gasp was sounded out by Nala's cry.
"SIMBA!?"
Both cubs watched with wide eyes and baited breath as they watched Simba and Scar. They watched as Scar whispered something in Simba's ear, enraging him, as Simba had found the strength to get up and pinned Scar beneath him.
"…MURDERER!"
A silence fell over the lionesses and hiding cubs. Sakina had to wrap her paws around her friend in order to keep him behind the rock and not run to his father's side. "No, Nuka, stay here you'll get hurt…" she whispered to him her attention is drawn back to the pair of grown lions when she heard Simba speak.
"So they can hear you?" the Pride looked on as Simba spoke pushing his paw down on Scar's neck. Nuka seeing this struggled more in his friends hold wanting to go and help his father but Sakina kept her hold on him wanting nothing to happen to Nuka.
"I killed Mufasa!" Scar's voice rang out loud and clear. The cubs could only watch wide eyed the now enraged lionesses charge toward the hyenas and two lions ripping through the hyenas as they went.
Nuka was shaking on his paws, his eyes wide at his Fathers confession, he too was told the story of the stampede, of how Mufasa and Simba had supposively died in, "No…he…he couldn't have…. That lion made him lie…" Nuka shook his head tears rolling down his cheeks, back away from the rock and his friend when Sakina finally let him go and turning he made a dash for it.
"NUKA GET BACK HERE!" Sakina cried running after her friend but lost him as a Hyena that was thrown her way pushed her to the ground. "Oaf!" she was winded as the body landed on top of hers, digging her claws into the ground she began to drag herself out from beneath the body. All around her the battle raged on, she could no longer see any sign of Nuka. Fear grasped her at that moment as she feared for her friend.
"NUKA!" she cried looking around desperately, tears spiked her eyes when she suddenly spotted her friend. "NUKA!" she screamed making a run for him, the male cub had been thrown against a rock during the fight. Rubbing her snout against his head she checked to see if he was okay, "Nuka…come on you…you got to got to get up…" she whispered as she tried to get him to wake up. But with so such luck. Wrapping her paws around him, she shielded her friend with her body, laying her head down on top of his. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the fight around her, her ears flat against her head trying to block the noises.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Her eyes snapped open at the ever familiar sound of Zira's voice but instead of anger it was filled with something Sakina had never heard come from the lioness before…terror. And lifting her head she soon found out why, as she watched with wide eyes as Scar's body came tumbling down the side of Pride rock. She watched with baited breath as the hyenas surrounded him and attacked him as his cries rang out. She closed her eyes tightly so she wouldn't have to watch, and thanking the Great Kings of the past that Nuka was still out of it to protect his mind from watching his father's once loyal followers tear at Scar. Sakina kept her head down, and her eyes closed as silence fell all around Pride rock, and the first bit of rain that she ever felt in her life began to fall upon the Pridelands soaking her.
Her eyes snapped open however when she felt herself being lifted gently by Sarafina and carried away from Nuka who was soon picked up by Zira who took him to Scar's now dead body as the hyenas were being chased off by Scar's loyal lionesses.
Sakina was gently placed down in front of Sarafina as the rain pelted down on them, Sakina and the lionesses watched as Simba made his way down to them, she watched as he was greeted by Sarabi and Nala.
Wanting to check on her godmother, she ran over to Sarabi and stood between her paws as Simba looked down at her confused as to who she was, she smiled at him brightly getting a grin in return as he held his head high and turned making his way up Pride rock. Sakina watched with wide eyes as he made his way toward the peek of Pride rock as Sarabi watched her son with tear filled proud looking eyes.
As Simba's roar echoed throughout the Pridelands signally the dawn of a new King, and the lionesses joined him, Sakina did as well but her small cubbish roar was drowned out from the adults.
But all was not rejoicing in the death of Scar and the position of the new King. Zira stood looking over the body of her mate, tears lined her eyes, and her head turned to the side as she watched angrily as Simba claimed the throne. Nuka who had awoken, to find himself face to face with the dead face of his father had let out a cry and was shaking as he held onto his mothers legs. Tears streaked down his already rain soaked face, staring at his fathers dead body in disbelieve.
"Mother…what happened…why he…?" Nuka stuttered looking up at his mother.
"He was murdered…by our new King" Zira hissed out. Nuka jumped to his paws looking up at Simba with wide eyes, then around to where he spotted his friend standing with the lionesses that were now surrounding their new King once again welcoming him back with loving gestures. He watched as his best friend approached Simba as if he hadn't done anything at all and watched her as she giggled when he rubbed his head against hers. He felt his eyes narrow a little, "Simba…" he muttered low, feeling an unknown hatred he never felt before growing inside him.
Sakina was standing between Sarabi's paws as the lionesses joined Simba once again, all fully welcoming him home. She watched as Nala lovingly nuzzled Simba and giggled a little catching Simba's attention.
"Now who's this?" he asked cocking his head to the side with a grin.
"This is Sakina…she's the daughter of Akili…sadly Akili…was killed when she was only a month old. As her Godmother, I've been raising her since" Sarabi explained as she bent her head down and giving her Goddaughter a nudge on the rump pushing her toward Simba who tilted his head downwards to look at her.
Smiling nervously, she bowed her head to him. "Your majesty" she stated but was surprised when he bumped his head against hers. Looking up she smiled as he grinned at her, "No need for some formalities with me Sakina. I knew your mother, though she was still young when I was around your age" he said as he grinned, "I'm grateful to see that there is still young life here. The pride isn't completely out of hope…and if you are my mothers Goddaughter…you are like my sister…" he rubbed his head against hers making the she-cub giggle as she smiled up at him when he pulled away.
Nala approached Simba and spoke, "She's not the only cub in the Pride," she stated as he turned his head to her with a questioning look. But Nala wasn't looking at him, instead her eyes were on Zira who was sneaking her way back into a nearby cave where she had hidden Kovu and Vitani, in her mouth she carried Nuka. "Who are the other cubs?" Simba asked.
"There is much that has happened since you left Simba that you should know" Sarabi stated, lifting Sakina by the scruff of the neck and began to carry her to the main cave followed by Simba and the others. Sakina lay beside Sarabi as she explained everything that had happened since Scar had been made king, and that Sakina wasn't the only cub born but as was Nuka, Scar's son, and two other cubs sired by a rogue but birthed by Scar's very mate.
Simba had decided to see to the other cubs the next morning. But for that night the pride all stayed together in the cave none of them had slept in since Scar had become King, sleeping around their new King and Queen as Nala slept beside Simba her head ducked under his head. Sakina was unable to sleep that night, getting up; she carefully crept through the lionesses making sure not to step on one of them and out of the cave.
She slinked to the cave where Zira and her remaining followers were all crowded. She peered inside where she saw Nuka was curled up beside Zira with his brother and sister, slinking in she padded over to her best friend and poked him until he woke up. She silenced him with her paw and pulled him out of the cave.
When she let go of his mouth and turned to look at him, she was taken back at the angry look he was shooting her. "Nuka…"
"Why are you here?" Nuka asked angrily.
"I…I came to see if you were alright…" Sakina whispered.
"How am I alright? My Father was just killed…and by Simba…my Father never did anything wrong. He was a great King! And you don't seem to care that he was murdered. All you care about is your new king! You have no idea how I feel" Nuka cried stomping his paw down at the ground. Sakina stared at him in shock; she couldn't control herself as she too became angry and began to shout at him.
"He did nothing wrong? He did nothing wrong!? Nuka he was the worse King that ever ruled Pride rock. All the lionesses say so. And are you forgetting your mother called my mother a traitor and murdered her, and Scar tried to kill me afterwards and your mom tried to kill me many times but you don't seem to care. All you ever cared about was getting your mothers stupid attention because you believed she loved you!" Sakina screamed, tears running down her face. "You have no right Nuka…No right to say I don't know how you feel…I lost my mother. I have no other family members by blood…I thought you were my…friend?"
"Well maybe I don't want to be friends with you anymore! And your mother deserved it she attacked my mother!" Nuka shouted at her making Sakina freeze, her eyes widening, suddenly he regretted saying it.
"I…I…I…" Sakina was for a loss of words as she turned and ran back to the main cave, blinded by her tears.
Nuka watched her go; he too couldn't believe what he had said to her. Ears pressed against his head, he lowered his faze to the ground as it continued to rain all around.
Sakina ran into the far corner of the cave where she curled up and silently cried to herself trying not to wake the others. It was unknown to her that Sarabi had woken up and had followed her hearing the cub's conversation, walking over she wrapped her paw around the cub and licked the top of her head.
With her tear filled face, Sakina looked up at the older lioness that was looking down at her with a soft sad gaze on her face. "I heard everything," she whispered nuzzling the cub. Sakina wrapped her paws around Sarabi's leg, "Why he have to be so mean…I thought we were best friends…I thought he cared…"Sakina sobbed as the lioness brought her closer to her and licked the top of her head, shushing her as softly as she could rocking the cub gently before laying down curling her body around Sakina.
Sarabi stayed up until she was sure that Sakina had cried herself to sleep. Gazing down at the cub she sighed sadly, "New timings can often bring great sadness"
